Hard Rock Launches Music Program Dedicated To Preserving Vinyl Culture

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A late ’80s baby, I experienced in my tween years the magic of physically going to a music store and hand-picking a choice record, be it on cassette tape, CD and—yes, even vinyl. The latter, I’ve always maintained, is perhaps the most deep-rooted. There’s a visceral connection that happens when you hear the sounds of an old favorite emerge from the first pivot of a needle; the noises made from scratch, an integral component of the fabric of hip-hop. Then there’s the active participation of digging in the crates, selecting a tangible classic and letting it spin ’til it’s time to turn the record over.

My father was my first inspiration. He had an incredible stereo and a turntable, and I was told not to touch it. But I’d go back and touch it anyway. I gained a respect for the turntables when I was a kid. When I was a teenager, I came up with a ‘cueing system’ to work the turntables because they didn’t have it at that time. —Grandmaster Flash

It’s out of that passion that wax® is born. The premier music-lifestyle brand of the hotel industry, Hard Rock International introduces the latest component to their signature The Sound of Your Stay® music amenity program. They’ve partnered with Crosley, one of the world’s most notable turntable manufacturers, and Sony Music Entertainment, a global recorded music company, to exclusively offer guests an all-encompassing opportunity to participate in the resurgence of vinyl records from the comfort of their own rooms, making the barrier of entry to the culture a fairly easy one—for the uninitiated.

There is a sense of connection with the music when one’s listening to vinyl that is not replicable with any other format… With WAX, Hard Rock wants guest to experience that magic right there in their hotel rooms. Whether they grew up listening to vinyl or are just now getting turned on to its unique vibes for the first time, the WAX program is a perfect vehicle for one’s vinyl journey. —Matt Watts, Director of Music and Marketing Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos

At any one of their 24 hotels, guests will get to fiddle with one of 10 Crosley “Keepsake” Record Players and a Crosley Record Carrier Case during their stay. Inside the carrier will be a carefully curated collection of quintessential vinyl records spanning from classic “must haves” to records that will virtually fling you into the thrilling days of yesteryear, evoking a deep sense of nostalgia and discovery. What’s more, the brand’s also partnered with some of today’s most talked-about artists – New Politics, The Aces, Evan Rachel Wood and Zach Villa’s Rebel and a Basketcase, Run River North and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Michelle Branch – to help celebrate the launch.

Vinyl records are projected to sell 40 million units in 2017, with sales nearing the $1 billion benchmark for the first time this millennium. —Forbes

The elements of The Sound of Your Stay® – including picks®, a Fender guitar room service program, and sound tracks®, which offers guests the chance to experience each city through the lens of their favorite artists and tastemakers – “create an unparalleled, authentic, hands-on experience, allowing guests to channel their inner rock star.” For more information, visit www.hardrockhotels.com.